Timer brush



Oct- '6', 1925 1,555,901 a. v. BLACKFORD TIMER BRUSH Filed May 7, 1925gmcnfoi Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES A 1,555,901 PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT V. BLACKFOR-D, OF INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS.

TIMER BRUSH.

Application filed May 7, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT V. BLACK- ronn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Independence, in the county of Montgomery and Stateof Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a TimerBrush, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved brush for use in internalcombustion engine timers, and it has particular reference to a brushwhich is especially, but not necessarily, intended for use inassociation with the type of distributor used in connection with Fordautomobile engines. it is my principal aim to provide av brush which iscapable of being substituted for the one now commonly employed, theimproved brush being such as to fit into the conven tional distributorhead or casing without requiring any alteration.

More specifically, I propose the provision of a brush which embodies anarm swingably mounted upon a collar to be mounted on the usual timershaft, this arm being constructed at its free end to carry a ballcontact for rolling contact with the usual circumferentially spacedcontacts in the distributor casing.

It is a feature to construct the device upon the same principle as theconventional timer brush now used, that is, to provide an arm ofsubstantially the same proportion and to substitute a ball contact forthe usual roller contact and to locate this ball contact with respect tothe axis of the timer shaft so that the advance and retard of this sparkmay be made in substantially the same way as now followed.

Other features and advantages of the iiivention will become apparentfrom the following description and drawings.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is an elevational View with a portion broken away and shown insection of a timer brush constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the brush per so.

In carrying out the invention, I provide a collar 1, which issubstantially identical with that commonly used, the collar in thepresent instance provided on one side with Serial No. 28,671.

an angular ear upon which the brush, designate-d as a whole by thereference character 3 is pivot-ally mounted. The brush preferablycomprises an arm t, and this is bowed seiner." i longitudinally, and hasits free end oiiset in an ang 1' direction as indicated at 5, theezztremi of the free end being machined to provide asocket for receptionof a rolling ball contact 6. 'lhe offset end is also externally screwthreaded and a screw cap '4' is connected thereto in a manner to retainthe ball in place. The cap is of course provided with a central openingof a size to permit substantially one half of the ball to projecttherethrough. At its inner end the arm is provided with. arsS whichstraddle the aforesaid lug 2, and are pivotally connected to the latter.Between its ends the arm is provided with a bridge beneath which thefree end of the resilient fiat spring 10 extends, this spring beingdetachably connected by an appropriate fastener 11 to a projectioncarried by the collar 1. lVith this arrangement it will be seen that thespring will .XElt a yieldeble pressure against the arm to maintain theball in yieldable rolling contact with the terminal contacts 12 in thedistributor casing 13.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have evolved andproduced a novel timer brush constructed to afford the proper leverageand to constantly maintain the ball contact in effective. wiping contactwith the terminal contacts of the distributor casing. In this waybouncing of the ball in a radial direction toward or from the timershaft is eliminated. The ball is easily removed from the cup provided bysimply unscrewing the retaining cap. it follows that the flat spring isalso removable, and under the arrangement specified. it cannot becomecorroded. nor is its proper tension interfered with. Practice has shownthat the longer the timer brush is used, the deeper the groove it runsin its path of travel, and under this condition a better contact isassured.

It is thought that the foregoing descrip tion taken in connection withthe drawing will enable persons skilled in the art to which theinvention relates to obtain a clear understanding of the same.Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought u nnecessary.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed it is to be understood that minor changes coming within thefield of invention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is 1. A timer brush comprising an arm providedat its inner end with spaced attaching ears, the opposite end of the armbeing formed with a ball socket, a rolling ball contact seated in saidsocket, said arm being externally screw threaded at its outer end, and aretaining cap for said ball embodying a screw threaded flange connectedto the threaded portion of said arm, said cap being formed with anopening through which a portion of said ball projects.

2. In a timer brush, a collar adapted to be mounted on a timer shaft, anattaching ear carried by said collar, an arm pivoted to said car, a fiatspring detachably connected at one end to said collar, the opposite endof the spring having detachable connection with said arm, and a rollingball contact removably mounted upon the outer end of the arm.

3. A timer bruslrcomprising an attachin r collar, an arm pivotallyconnected to saiil collar, said arm being provided adjacent its pivotedend with a bridge, a flat spring connected at one end to said collar andhaving is free end detachably connected with said bridge, the outer endof said arm being formed with a recess producing a ball socket, a ballseated in said socket, and a retaining cap for said ball detachablyconnected to said arm.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GILBERT v. BLACKFORD.

